Organisation: Department for Transport
Date uploaded: 19th December 2011
Date published/launched: December 2011
• In 2010, the overall motor vehicle traffic volume in Great Britain was 1.6% lower than in 2009, at 308.1 billion vehicle miles.
• This follows a 1.0% year on year fall between 2008 and 2009, and a 0.8% fall between 2007 and 2008. Motor vehicle traffic has fallen for three consecutive years for the first time since records began in 1949. However, traffic levels in 2010 were 6.2% higher than in 2000.
• Car traffic fell by 2.1% from 2009 to 243.8 billion vehicle miles in 2010. The decline in car traffic accounts for the majority of the fall in overall traffic in 2010.
• In 2010, light van traffic was 41.8 billion vehicle miles, a 0.9% increase from 2009. Light van traffic increased by 28.6% between 2000 and 2010.
• Heavy goods vehicle (HGV) traffic had a small increase between 2009 and 2010 of 0.3%, to 16.4 billion vehicle miles.
• In 2010 19.8% of traffic was on motorways, 28.2% on rural ‘A’ roads, 16.1% on urban ‘A’ roads, 14.1% on rural minor roads and 21.8% on urban minor roads, these proportions are similar to 2009.
• Overall, major roads showed a 1.3% decrease in traffic, and minor roads saw a 2.2% decrease in traffic between 2009 and 2010.
• Traffic on motorways decreased by 1.3% between 2009 and 2010; traffic on urban ‘A’ roads decreased by 1.0% and traffic on rural ‘A’ roads decreased by 1.5%.
For more information contact:
Road Traffic Stats @ DfT